Book wrap



Dec. 5, 1967 H. w. LAYNE, SR 3,356,282

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04412 fWzy Jh J/farne 1) s United States Patent 3,356,282 BOOK WRAP Harold W. Layne, Sr., Beech Grove, Ind., assignor to Inland Container Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed Sept. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 579,883 3 Claims. (Cl. 229-40) This invention relates generally to fiberboard packaging structures and in particular to a packaging structure designed to contain a looseleaf binder which has one margin much thicker than the other.

Books, binders and the like are often shipped in fiberboard containers designed to protect the surfaces of the book from damage, either during storage or shipping. The containers must be specifically adapted to the size and configuration of the book or binder and are wrapped about the book or binder and sealed. Prior art containers utilize end sealing tabs which make it difiicillt for the assembler to close and seal the ends of the container.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved container for packaging looseleaf notebooks.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a container of the type referred to which requires less material than the prior art containers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a container of the type referred to which is easier to assemble and wrap around the enclosed object than are the prior art containers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a container of the type referred to having a center hand lock which leaves the assemblers hands free to close and seal the ends of the container or to machine seal the container ends.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the blank from which a container embodying the present invention is formed;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 1 partially erected;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a partially assembled container formed from the blank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the center locking means of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a closed container set up from the blank;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 66 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a blank from which a second embodiment of the invention is formed;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the blank of FIG. 7 partially set up; and

FIG. 9 is an end view of a closed container formed fro the blank of FIG. 7.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1-6, the blank of FIG. 1 includes a bottom panel 10 having integral side panels 11 and 12 at each of its side margins. Side panel 12 has an integral top panel 13 extending from its side margin remote from bottom panel 10. The top panel 13 is substantially the same width as the bottom panel 10. The side panels and the face panels, this term referring generally to the bottom panel 10 and the top panel 13, are defined by longitudinal score lines 14. The top panel 13 has an integral inner side flap 15 extending from its side margin remote from bottom panel 10, the inner side flap 15 being defined by score line 14a. The top panel 13 is provided with integral outer end flaps 16 which are defined by score lines 16a.

The bottom panel 10 has integral inner end walls 17 3,356,282 Patented Dec. 5, 1967 at each of its end margins, the end walls 17 being defined by score lines 17a. The end walls have diagonal score lines 18 which conform generally to the margin of a looseleaf binder to be enclosed within the container. The end walls 17 are folded inwardly along score lines 18 to provide inner top panels 19. Each of the upper panels 19 have an upwardly extending flap 20 at the end adjacent side panel 11. Upper flaps 20 engage the inner surface of top panel 13 when the container is assembled around the looseleaf binder, as will be evident from FIG. 6.

Side panels 11 and 12 have end flaps 21 and 22, the end flaps being integral with the end margins of the side panels. When the container is assembled, the end flaps 21 and 22 are folded so that they overlie the end walls 17 of bottom panel 10. The top panel 13 is then placed over the binder being packaged and the outer flaps 16 folded into overlying relation with end flaps 21 and 22 and end walls 17.

Side panel 11 has a locking or holding tab 23 which is integral with the side margin of side panel 11 remote from bottom panel 10. When the top panel is in position and the inner side flap 15 is overlapped by side panel 11, tab 23 is locked in place within aperture 24 of top panel 13. The locking of the top panel 13 with the side panel 11 leaves the operators hands free for subsequently securing the outer end flaps 16 to the container and thus sealing the container around the looseleaf binder (indicated in broken lines in FIG. 6).

As will be evident from FIGS. 3 and 6, the tabs 20 serve to reinforce the container against vertically applied forces and are held in place by the adjacent faces of panel 11 and flap 15. The container, because of the inclined flaps 19, snugly holds an article such as a looseleaf binder which is much thicker at one margin than at the other, and the container yet presents a rectangular configuration in outer profile for ease of stacking and handling.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 7-9. In these figures parts which are substantially identical those in FIGS. 1-6 are given the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1-6. The construction of the blank for the second embodiment is substantially identical to that of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9 but difiers in that the flaps 25, which are integral with the outer end flaps 16, are utilized. As will be evident from FIGS. 8 and 9, when the container is assembled, flaps 25 are folded underneath the bottom panel 10 and sealed thereto providing added strength along the container lower margins.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected.

The invention claimed is:

1. A generally rectangular container for enclosing relatively dense, generally rectangular objects which have one margin thicker than the other such as looseleaf binders and the like comprising: a bottom panel having an integral side panel at each of its side margins and integral end walls at each of its end margins, said end walls being longitudinally folded on a diagonal line extending from a point on one side margin of the end Wall, the point being at a distance from the base of the end wall substantially equal to the width of the thinner margin of the object enclosed, to a point on the opposite side margin of the end wall which is at a distance from the end wall base substantially equal to the width of the thicker margin of the object enclosed, each of said end walls having a tab extending sidewardly from the outer portion of one margin of the end wall, said tabs having a length substantially equal to the difference in distances measured from the ends of said diagonal line to the base of the end wall; a top panel integral with one of said side panels and extending from the side margin thereof remote from said bottom panel, said top panel having an integral end flap extending from each end margin thereof; a side flap integral with said top panel and extending from the side margin thereof remote from said bottom panel; an end flap integral with each end margin of said side panel; whereby said container may be folded around a generally rectangular object having one margin thicker than the other by placing said top panel in spaced overlying relation to said bottom panel with said top panel end flaps being folded to overlie said bottom panel end walls the portion of said bottom panel end walls outboard of said diagonal line being folded into overlying relation with the face of the rectangular object and in underlying relation to said top panel, said tabs being folded to extend upwardly toward the underface of said top panel and serving to brace the unequally margined object within the rectangular container.

2. A container as claimed in claim 1 having said side panel end flaps interposed between said bottom panel end walls and the overlying top panel end flaps when said container is folded around an object to be enclosed.

3. A container as claimed in claim 1 in which said top panel end flaps have extended length providing flap portions which overlie the outer face of said bottom panel when said container is erected.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,039,026 9/ 1912 Carter.

2,624,456 1/ 1953 Taylor 22l63 2,682,949 7/1954 Whitehead.

3,055,574 9/ 1962 Johnson 22940 3,110,435 11/1963 Layne 22940 3,125,258 3/1964 Watts.

3,219,256 11/1965 Zastrow 22940 DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CONTAINER FOR ENCLOSING RELATIVELY DENSE, GENERALLY RECTANGULAR OBJECTS WHICH HAVE ONE MARGIN THICKER THAN THE OTHER SUCH AS LOOSELEAF BINDERS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING: A BOTTOM PANEL HAVING AN INTEGRAL SIDE PANEL AT EACH OF ITS SIDE MARGINS AND INTEGRAL END WALLS AT EACH OF ITS END MARGINS, SAID SIDE WALLS BEING LONGITUDINALLY FOLDED ON A DIAGONAL LINE EXTENDING FROM A POINT ON ONE SIDE MARGIN OF THE END WALL, THE POINT BEING AT A DISTANCE FROM THE BASE OF THE END WALL SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF THE THINNER MARGIN OF THE OBJECT ENCLOSED, TO A POINT ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE MARGIN OF THE END WALL WHICH IS AT A DISTANCE FROM THE END WALL BASE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF THE THICKER MARGIN OF THE OBJECT ENCLOSED, EACH OF SAID END WALLS HAVING A TAB EXTENDING SIDEWARDLY FROM THE OUTER PORTION OF ONE MARGIN OF THE END WALL, SAID TABS HAVING A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE DIFFERENCE IN DISTANCES MEASURED FROM THE ENDS OF SAID DIAGONAL LINE TO THE BASE OF THE END WALL; A TOP PANEL INTEGRAL WITH ONE OF SAID SIDE PANELS AND EXTENDING FROM THE SIDE MARGIN THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID BOTTOM PANEL, SAID TOP PANEL HAVING AN INTEGRAL END FLAP EXTENDING FROM EACH END MARGIN THEREOF; A SIDE FLAP INTEGRAL WITH SAID TOP PANEL AND EXTENDING FROM THE SIDE MARGIN THEREOF REMOTE FROM SAID BOTTOM PANEL; AN END FLAP INTEGRAL WITH EACH END MARGIN OF SAID SIDE PANEL; WHEREBY SAID CONTAINER MAY BE FOLDED AROUND A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR OBJECT HAVING ONE MARGIN THICKER THAN THE OTHER BY PLACING SAID TOP PANEL IN SPACED OVERLYING RELATION TO SAID BOTTOM PANEL WITH SAID TOP PANEL END FLAPS BEING FOLDED TO OVERLIE SAID BOTTOM PANEL END WALLS THE PORTION OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL END WALLS OUTBOARD OF SAID DIAGONAL LINE BEING FOLDED INTO OVERLYING RELATION WITH THE FACE OF THE RECTANGULAR OBJECT AND IN UNDERLYING RELATION TO SAID TOP PANEL, SAID TABS BEING FOLDED TO EXTEND UPWARDLY TOWARD THE UNDERFACE OF SAID TOP PANEL AND SERVING TO BRACE THE UNEQUALLY MARGINED OBJECT WITHIN THE RECTANGULAR CONTAINER. 